“Keep looking. Anything to help you win this case is worth having.”
A dreamy look came over Joy. “So is that the end of you hinting about leaving me because it’s better for us?”
“I’m still arguing with myself about that. Heck, I love it here, like being with the two of you. It’s not like I’ve had a real family before, you know. I don’t want to lose this, but at the end of the day, this is about you guys and I’ll do what’s right for everyone involved, regardless of what I want.”
“Nate Hansen. You’re a good man. Don’t let anyone tell you different.”
Coming from her, that comment made his heart swell with pride. “I’m just doing what I can. I can’t help that I’m falling for you, Joy.”
“Just don’t go breaking my heart, Nate. I couldn’t live with that happening again in this lifetime.”
This time when he kissed her, she didn’t break away from him. His lips trailed kisses down her cheek, across her jaw, and down her throat, waking up sensations in his own body he hadn’t had for far too long. His body screamed for love and his heart called for someone to treat him gently. A broken heart twice in a lifetime would be too much for her to bear, he knew. Just as he knew being rejected would kill something he’d been too scared to let grow. Nate wanted to feel and be loved as much as he wanted to give it.
Chapter Nineteen
“Morning, Ms. Emily.” Nate pushed open the door of the law office, Toby on his hip, and strolled up to her desk.
“Well, good morning, Nate. Hi there, Toby. Don’t you look just like the cutest little cowboy today?”
“He’s pretty cute, all right. We stopped and bought him his own hat. He’s been hankering for one ever since I’ve known him.” He dropped the envelope on the desk and patted the white hat on his stepson’s head. “You like it, don’t you, pal?”
Toby giggled and patted his hat. “Mine.”
“My goodness, it’s so good to see the happiness on that child’s face, Nate. Thank heavens his momma has you now.”
Nate puffed out his chest. “Thank you, ma’am. I appreciate your kind words.” Even if he still couldn’t quite convince himself he was worthy enough. He fumbled his thanks as he put Toby down.
Emily frowned. “Well, why be so surprised? Just ’cause you were a bit of a hellion growing up doesn’t mean you don’t have a good heart. Even I could see you just needed someone to love you.” She reached out and drew Toby toward her, giving him a cuddle. “This little man is so adorable. Now, I’m guessing you want to speak to Sadie?”
“Yes, ma’am. If she’s available, that is.” He shifted his feet. “Uh, Joy told me to make sure I said hello from her. She’s busy at home trying to find more information for Sadie.”
“Sadie has someone with her but won’t be too long. You can wait or go do some chores and come back.”
“I have to go to the produce store, so how about I do that and then come by before I go home? You can hand her these papers from Joy though in the meantime. I’m pretty sure she knows what they are.”
Emily gave them a cursory glance and then tickled Toby under the chin until he threw himself back in her arms, giggling. “You can leave this little guy with me. I have some cookies in the back that he’s going to love. How about that, Toby? Do you want one of my shortbread cookies?”
“Oh no, you don’t have to do that. I can take him with me; it’s no bother.”
Emily frowned at Nate. “Now you listen here, Nate. This young man is one of my favorite people and I’d love to give him some morning tea. Why, his momma wouldn’t mind, I’m sure.”
“No, she wouldn’t. She thinks the world of you.”
“So let me play babysitter for half an hour or so while you do your business. When you get back, Sadie will be ready to see you.”
Nate reached out to Toby. “You be a good boy now, ya hear? Ms. Emily is going to look after you while I go do my chores, but I’ll be back soon.” He adjusted the straw hat and stepped back.
Toby waved his pudgy little hand as Nate left the office. He jumped in his truck and drove across town to the produce store, mentally marking off what else he needed besides cattle tags. Inside the store, shelf upon shelf was loaded with anything he could possibly need on the ranch. Right now he couldn’t afford most of it. He walked over to the counter and waited his turn, flicking through a magazine while the owner served the customer in front of him.
“Nate. What can I do for you?”
Nate tipped his hat. “Mr. Beale. I need ear tags for some calves.”
“Right. Well, Bradley has his own we used to order for him. Did you want to go with those or do you want to change things now you’re in charge?” The shop owner stared at him, a blank expression on his face.
“I ain’t gonna change anything. Let’s go with what they usually have. How long to get them in?” He would not let anyone make him feel bad about stepping up for Joy and Toby.
A smile touched Mr. Beale’s face. “I’m glad to hear it. He worked hard on that place to get it where it is today. Hate to see things change after all he went through.” He pulled out an order book and opened it. “How many are you after? We do them in lots of one hundred.”
“Not sure how many cows are going to calf, to be honest. Still bringing them in.”
Mr. Beale leaned on the counter. “Last order, Bradley did two hundred. Why not stick with that, and if you need more, just give me a call? Only takes about seven days to get them in. That do for you?”
Relieved, Nate nodded his head. “Sure, thanks.”
“Good to see you’re doing something with your life at last, Nate. Your grandpa would be proud of you.”
The words “better late than never” hung in the air. “Thanks. Man has to grow up sooner or later, right?”
Hands slid around his waist and dove into the front of his jeans. Nate whipped around, ready to fight, instinct kicking in before his brain had a chance to think things through.
“What the hell?”
A familiar curvaceous brunette laughed as he grabbed for her.
“Nate, careful.” They stumbled together and landed in a heap on the wooden floorboards. She cried out as she hit the ground with Nate on top of her. He rolled off, desperate to put distance between them.
Red talons reached for him, gripping his arm. He couldn’t shake her loose. “Don’t be like that, lover. It’s been too long, but we can make up for it.”
“What the heck do you think you’re doing, Cassie?”
“Just getting what’s mine, and about time, too. I’ve missed you, Nate.” She leaned up and gripped his face with her other hand, her fingers digging into his cheeks.
“Let me go, or so help me…” He hadn’t hit a woman yet, but if she kept this up, there was no telling what might happen.
She dug her fingers in more as he scrabbled to find his feet. “Let me go, Cassie. This is your last warning.”
“Or what, Nate? You’ll hurt me? Can’t hurt me any more than you already have.”
He grabbed her hand and tore it from his face but missed the backhand that came his way. “Ow!” He pushed her away and she hit the floor, a cry of pain ringing in his ears.
Nate got to his feet and backed away, leaned on the counter. Mr. Beale had a blank stare on his face. “What? You think I brought her in here?” Nate shook his head as footsteps came toward him.
Ryan Mitchell and his two sons strolled into the shop, convenience written all over it.
“You set this up.”
Ryan smiled, shook his head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Nate. The boys and I have business in here. Seems to me you’re in a spot. Anything I can do to help?” He reached out a hand and dragged Cassie to her feet, his eyes wandering over the low-cut top she wore, the tiny denim shorts that barely held her butt in. A lecherous gleam came into his eyes.
“You all right here, miss? Anything I can do to help?” He pulled out a handkerchief and passed it to her.
She wip
ed at her face, crocodile tears welling in her eyes. “He threatened me. All I did was get excited to see him again and he threw me to the ground and hit me.” The tears flowed and Nate’s heart sank.
Mr. Beale shook his head and held his hands open wide as if to say, what, I never saw a thing. “Was busy writing your order down, Nate.”
Nate wiped his cheek and brought away a bloody hand. A nail gouge stung his right cheek.
He turned back to his sister-in-law. “I didn’t hit you and you know it. You came in here, launched yourself into me, and unbalanced us. We both landed on the floor because of it. Nothing more to it than that.”
One of the boys put his arm around her, and she cried into his shoulder while Ryan looked on, a satisfied smirk on his face.
“I think we should call the sheriff, don’t you, Ms. Cassie?”
“Now listen here—”
“No. You listen for a change, Nate Hansen. Everyone knows your reputation around this town. You’re nothing but a male whore and a money grubber. How the heck you got your claws into my poor daughter-in-law is beyond me. Turned her into a selfish person who refuses to listen to reason. If it weren’t for you, Joy’d have plenty of help from me and the boys, but you had to go putting your nose in where it wasn’t wanted and now look what’s happened. And now you go around hurting women ’cause your head has got too big for your damned hat.”
“That’s crap. You set this up to try to get me to leave Joy. Just so you can dig your claws into her and take away the ranch. You’re not going to win, you slimy bastard. Not if I can help it.” Nate picked up his hat, slapped it against his leg, and jammed it on his head as he walked out.
“You’re not going anywhere until the sheriff gets here.”
“Fuck you. Out of my way.” Nate brushed past him, leaving Ryan stumbling into the wall.
*
The front door opened and Toby came running in. “Momma.” He threw himself into her arms. If ever she needed validation this marriage would work, her baby falling for his new father was it. What was it they said about kids and animals? They could tell who the good guys were. Score one for her after the terrible times she’d had recently.
“Hey, baby. Did you have a good time with, Nate?” Nate stood at the door, a glower on his face.
“I’ll be down in the barn if you need me.”
“What did Sadie say?” But she was talking to the closed door. He was gone. “Well, that doesn’t sound good.”
Toby touched his hat. “Hat, Momma. Mine hat.”
She melted as she smiled at him. “Oh, baby, that’s so cute. Who bought you that, Nate?”
“Dada. Hat. Mine.” He pushed away from her and ran down the hall into his bedroom, followed by the sound of toys being pulled from his closet.
But he’d called Nate Dada. Tears welled before she could stop them. Sweet, oh, so sweet. But Bradley should be the one hearing those words.
She sniffled and wiped her hands across her face, fierce in her determination to move on with the family she had now. Nate was a good father for Toby, and she’d honor her dead husband by accepting that life wasn’t fair, that what they’d had for such a short time wasn’t perfect, but there was always hope for a better future.
He’d called Nate Dada.
Joy got to her feet and brushed the dust from the old books off her jeans. Nate was probably cranky because it was lunchtime and she hadn’t given it a thought. She hurried into the kitchen and pulled out the leftovers from last night’s roast. While Toby was happy playing in his room, she’d make a plate of sandwiches and they could go down together and bring Nate up his lunch. And find out what happened in town today. Someone probably had another go at him, looking at the frown on his face. He’d just have to grow a thicker skin until all this was over like she had.
Chapter Twenty
No matter how much he insisted he was fine during lunch, Joy wasn’t buying it. His cheek bore the scar of a fight, and she asked more than once who did it. How could he tell her and not ruin the already rocky relationship she had with her sister? To top it off, it’d be a case of who believed whom. With the Mitchells to back up Cassie, Nate didn’t stand a chance having his side believed. Better to keep his mouth shut.
Joy watched him like a hawk as he ate his roast beef sandwich, and later that night when he came in for dinner she was still trying to figure out what had happened. Ryan was using every dirty trick in the book to bring her down and he’d been caught in the middle. He should’ve seen it coming.
“You gonna sulk all night, or are you going to tell me what happened?” She put down her knife and fork and reached for her water glass, watching him.
He swallowed his mouthful of mashed potatoes and gravy. He could take another bite to give him time to form the words, but it wasn’t worth it. He put down his fork and sat back in his chair just as a loud knock sounded on the kitchen door.
Joy jumped up with a glance at him and went to answer it. Nate wasn’t surprised when the sheriff’s deputy stood there.
“Ma’am. I’m here to see Nate Hansen. Mind if I come in?”
He stood up. “I’m right here. What’s this all about?”
Fear and confusion clouded Joy’s eyes. “Yes, what is this about?”
“There’s been a charge against you for assault, Nate. I’m gonna have to ask you to accompany me to the sheriff’s office.”
Joy gasped. “What? Are you kidding me? Who’s pressing charges and for what?”
Nate put a hand on his wife’s shoulder. “Joy, it’s okay. I’ll sort this out.”
She shrugged him off. “It’s not okay.” She turned back to the deputy. “Who laid charges, Aaron?”
Aaron winced, held his hat between his hands in front of his stomach. “Your sister.”
Joy turned to Nate, her mouth open. “Cassie. Why? What did you do to her, Nate?” The light in her eyes died a little as he watched.
He shook his head. “Nothing. It was all a misunderstanding.”
“A misunderstanding? What kind of misunderstanding with my sister ends with the sheriff asking for your butt in his office?”
Toby started to wail, and Nate stepped toward him but Joy held up her hand. “Don’t. You’ve done enough for one day.”
His heart fell to his feet. She believed the worst, but Nate didn’t blame her. He’d always known he’d fail at being what Joy needed. Everyone who said he was a good guy was wrong.
“Let’s go.” Nate grabbed his hat off the back of the door and stormed out, the deputy behind him, the wail of the little boy he’d come to love ringing in his ears.
*
“I don’t know what else to do, Sadie. I didn’t mean to disturb you at home, but I’m scared.”
“Leave it with me. I’ll give Rory a call and see what’s going on. Nate didn’t say anything to you when he got home?”
“No. Let Toby inside and went down to the barn like he was in a bit of a mood. He was quiet over dinner, and then Aaron rocked up and took him away.” Her voice broke.
“Don’t worry. I’ll deal with it and call you back. You sit tight, okay?”
Joy hung up the phone and collapsed in the chair. How could she have been so shocked at what happened? Cassie had lamented her lost relationship with Nate when she found out Joy had married him. Of course she wasn’t going to forgive her sister for taking the man she wanted. Changing her tune and telling Nate to be nice to Joy while she plotted against them. She’d never forgive Cassie. But to go to this much trouble was beyond mean. Joy’d expected more from family. How easily she’d ignored the warning signs. Cassie wasn’t the most subtle man chaser in town. And she’d set her sights on Nate again. How convenient.
Joy should’ve been on Nate’s side, not second-guessed him. How stupid was she for not supporting him after all the pep talks she’d given him.
Joy stood. She wasn’t going to let this derail her marriage. Not by a long shot. She’d made a mistake and now she was going to fix it. “Toby. Come on, ba
by, we’re going to see your daddy.”
By the time she made it to town, hardly a soul was on the street. Lights and music came from the hotel, but most of the shops were long closed. She parked on the corner outside the sheriff’s office and grabbed Toby from his car seat. She pushed her way through the door and stopped in front of Aaron at the reception desk.
“I’m here to see Nate.”
The deputy looked up, blushing up to his hairline. “Not sure I can let you do that, Joy. Rory made me lock him up for the night. Didn’t say nothing about having visitors.”
“Well, Rory didn’t know I’d be coming in. Come on, Aaron. You know Nate isn’t a bad guy. My sister would’ve made a play for him, not the other way around. You know her reputation.”
Aaron put down the pen and stood. “I do. I also know Nate’s reputation. Everyone does.” He licked his lips. “He’s been charged with assault, Joy.”
She swallowed. “Exactly what does that mean?”
“According to the report I just typed up, he pushed her, causing her to fall heavily.”
Joy closed her eyes. Not what she was expecting. “Right, so she grabbed him, he pushed her, and she landed on the floor on her ass. Do I have that right?”
“I guess that about covers it.”
“And that’s assault? For goodness’ sake, don’t you think that’s a little bit ridiculous? He could charge her with the same only he’s not that stupid.”
Aaron leaned back in his chair. “I don’t make the rules, Joy. Just enforce them.”
Joy let Toby down and he gripped the edge of the counter and watched Aaron. “Nate would’ve been protecting himself, not trying to hurt her. He’s not that man anymore. He’s my husband, and if there’s anything I’ve learned in the few weeks we’ve been married, it’s that he’s changed. He’d no more go chasing my sister than you would.”
The blush deepened and Aaron fumbled. “I reckon you might be right, but the law is the law and Rory said I have to follow it. Someone lays a complaint of assault, I gotta lock him up and let him have his day in court.”
The Convenient Cowboy Page 11